Wednesday, March 08, 2000

Rose claims he will be back in the game soon

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The Associated Press

Pete Rose waves to fans as he is introduced during an exhibition game between the Reds and Phillies Tuesday. (AP photo) | ZOOM |

        CLEARWATER, Fla. — For a day, Pete Rose was back in baseball — but not on the field or in the clubhouse.

        Baseball's banned career hits leader watched his son, Pete Rose Jr., get two hits in a spring training game against the Cincinnati Reds Tuesday.

        His son left tickets for him, but aides to commissioner Bud Selig told the Phillies the elder Rose would have to watch from the stands because of the lifetime ban he agreed to in 1989 following an investigation of his gambling.

        “I created the problems I had, but it's sad you can't go down to the cage to watch your son hit,” Rose said. “I can't go to the Pete Rose batting cage to watch him hit. I can't go to Cinergy Field on Pete Rose Way to watch him take infield practice on the field.”

        Standing near the visitors' clubhouse at Jack Russell Stadium, Rose said he's not ashamed that he gambled on sports — though he maintains he bet only on football, never baseball. He vowed that he'll be reinstated in the near future, even if he has to go to court. He also said he will manage again in the majors and said he's baseball's No.1 salesman. “Everybody in the world will agree that regardless of what you think I did do or didn't do, I've been in the penalty box long enough,” Rose said.

       

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